Planning to Holiday in the US This Fall? 10 Best Places to Visit in Ohio and What Makes Ohio Your Prefect Holiday Destination (2020)

Ohio offers an exciting blend of country living and urban city culture. The state's fairs and festivals show this peculiarity, from the large Ohio State Fair to smaller, rural festivals. The fairs show the traditions and culture of Ohio and are a great representation of their history. These show how Ohio has risen from a mere colony of the British Empire to an impressive and progressive state of the US.

If you like to discover different cultures and meet people with different traditions and ethnicities, you should definitely visit Ohio the next time you go to America. In addition to all that, because people belonging to different norms live here, these fairs are taking place all the year round. Some of these include Fair Food Week, The Ohio Eggfest, The Parade of the Hills, Shaker Woods Festival, D-Day Conneaut, Winter Brewfest, Christmas Town, Huron Winter Fest, etc.

There can't be a better reason to visit a particular place than a difficult yet wondrous history. This is the case with Ohio as it has been part of many different empires. Firstly, it was colonised by French fur traders, before becoming a part of the British Empire in 1754, when the French and Indian War took place.

Later, at the end of the American Revolution, the British lost Ohio to the recently formed USA. It was then formed into a state in 1803 but this was formally declared only in 1953. Since then, the state has sent seven Ohioans to the White House.

In case you are a fan of mesmerising sunsets, you should definitely visit Ohio in fall. Even though Ohio will provide you with extremely beautiful sunsets all year round, the the best ones are to been seen only in the autumn months. For an even more enjoyable trip, combine the blazing sunset with an exotic bonfire.

Ohio is also known to entertain the football lovers with its Friday Night Football Games. The Friday Night Games, as the name suggests, take place every Friday. During these games, the stadiums are filled up with excited and passionate crowds, floodlights, and, of course, the players wearing their team uniforms, marching into the grounds, and giving high hopes to their cheering fans. These games do not take place in a particular city of Ohio, but all over.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is alive with the spirit, passion, energy and enthusiasm of music. It is situated in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, on one of the banks of Lake Erie. It is a historical museum that documents the evolution of rock music along with the musicians, iconic guitars, singers, basses, engineers, stage costumes, and important personalities that played a significant role in its development. Also, the 150,000 square-foot museum and Hall of Fame features 7 floors and 4 theatres for movies and dynamical exhibitions.

In addition to all that, there is a Chuck Berry's Gibson 350T and Jimi Hendrix's Gibson Flying V, painted by Jimi himself, displayed in the museum. This splendid museum covers every aspect of rock and roll music from the beginning to the current music trends. Moreover, there are a lot of famous restaurants near this spot where you can enjoy Continental, Chinese and Thai food. It is recommended to book your tickets in advance and save your spot before going as the museum could be quite crowded.

This is the biggest theme and water park in the US Midwest offering more than forty exciting rides including a tornado on delirium ride, getting a white-knuckle ride on a runaway train, roller coasters, etc. Kings Island is split into various themed sections and serves seasonally from the beginning of spring through the fall, and then into the holiday season for the WinterFest.

In case you are planning to travel with your kids, the park also offers a Planet Snoopy Kids’ Segment to spend a thrilling day. In fact, for the last 18 years, it has been winning the title of the 'Best Kids’ Area in the World' by Amusement Today. It also has an Action Zone that takes visitors on a safari-style tour through animal preservation.

The area of Rivertown in the park features a western theme representing a town with ranch-style buildings, traditional wooden signs, a canoe ride, etc. and is one of the park's most iconic attractions. Other significant places in the park include Area 72, International Street, Oktoberfest, Planet Snoopy, Soak City, and Halloween Haunt.

Hocking Hills State Park with its exquisite scenic beauty and woodlands is one of the best places to visit in Ohio. It has 7 hiking spots, each with a 1-way trail system. These spots include Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, Rock House, Whispering Cave, Conkle's Hollow and Cantwell Cliffs. The Old Man's Cave is the most famous and is situated on State Route 664.

The Ash Cave and Cedar Falls are the most spectacular features of this park. The park also offers canoeing, zip-line riding and camping. Also, the region is teeming with festivals from moonshine to pawpaws, lilies to coal, and ribs to apples, and, therefore no matter what season you visit, there will always be something for you to celebrate here. Moreover, cabins on the Hocking Hills are available in all sizes ranging from small, calm, and romantic cottages to full family-size cabins to accommodate multiple families.

The combination of an excellent collection of animal exhibitions, usually in their natural settings and well-tended gardens, makes this place one of the finest places to visit. It is the second oldest zoo in the US and is acknowledged as one of the best in the country. This place is especially famous for its endangered species and birthing programs, specifically for gorillas and white tigers. Also, it has an exotic collection of felines and a delightful manatees exhibition.

Furthermore, there are amazing safari rides for kids on the train and a spin on the Conservation Carousel as well. Also, the zoo features a 4-D theatre highlighting a spectacular cinematic experience. The leaf-cutter ants tunnel, baby flamingos, and an insect exhibit are the other fascinating features of this place. You can visit this place at any time of the month as it will provide you with a thrilling experience.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force and is situated near Dayton, Ohio. It is considered to be the world's largest military aviation museum and nearly 800,000 visitors from around the globe come to see and praise its advanced features including around 360 aerospace crafts and missile exhibits. Also, the museum has a unique aircraft of technological significance and numerous historical memorabilia and artefacts showcasing the development of aviation.

In addition to all the interesting exhibits, the museum has Bob Hope's Emmy and a video of him entertaining the troops, an IMAX, inside restrooms, affordable cafes, army clothing and uniforms, presidential planes and astronaut suits. The museum also has a large-format theatre that displays aviation, flying, and space-oriented movies along with other documentaries.

Furthermore, the grounds around the museum pay tribute to the pilots, squadrons, air-force units, and the fighter pilots. Also, the museum has a facility for handicapped people and the staff even provides baby strollers and wheelchairs for touring inside the building. However, you are not allowed to take your pets with you.

In case you are looking for more than just an amusement park, then give Cedar Point a visit. It features hotels, restaurants, lovely grounds and terrains along with an exciting variety of thrill-rides. Cedar Point has 71 amazing rides, with 17 top-class roller coasters, like the signature Millennium Force Giga-coaster and the breathtaking 120-mph Top Thrill Dragster. The park also offers various water rides like Snake River Falls and Thunder Canyon.

The park also has 3 kids’ areas, live performances, marinas, a mile-long beach, overnight rooms and numerous eateries. Cedar Point also features diverse accommodation choices ranging from the traditional beachfront hotel breakers to private and relaxing cabins and resorts near the Lake Erie waterfront. There are numerous other attractions near this spot to make your trip wonderful, like the North Coast Parasail, Sandusky Segwave, Merry-Go-Round Museum, etc.

If you are planning to visit Ohio and are fond of shopping, then you must visit this place. The West Side Market is the oldest and continuously operating municipally-owned market. The West Side Market was acknowledged as one of “10 Great Public Places in America,” by the American Planning Association as it offers a variety of authentic and culturally diverse shopping experiences.

Originally, there were 109 stands inside the market selling meats, bread, dairy items, groceries, baked foods, and ethnic speciality products but the number rose significantly and fast. Furthermore, historical images have been installed above the merchant stands in the market, in honour of the Centennial year. This is an iconic place to visit with a remarkable building and a positive atmosphere.

Brandywine Falls are the most notable and attractive waterfalls in the state of Ohio and are the main spectacular attraction of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This outstanding cascade drops 65 feet down the Brandywine Creek. The falls can easily be accessed via the Brandywine Gorge Trail, a 1.5 mile hiking trail.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park near these falls offers more than 33,000 acres of spectacular outdoors. Also, there are restrooms and park maps at the gate of the tracks. One of the splendid characteristics of these falls is their close proximity to the parking lot and a boardwalk that allows strollers, wheelchairs, and wagons to enter the falls.

Originally identified as the Cincinnati-Covington Bridge, the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, spans the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky. This iconic bridge over the river was built by John A. Roebling and was opened to the public on December 1, 1866. This bridge is an impressive 19th-century structure that joins various cities and states. Also, with a length of 1,057 feet, it was the largest of its kind in the world when it was originally built. In addition, the bridge provides a protected pedestrian walkway.

You can pack your lunch and visit this place for a tranquil environment, a natural scenic site, and an amazingly positive and clean atmosphere. You can also enjoy the view of skyscraper buildings around it, and, at night, the bridge is flooded with shining lights. For a more enjoyable tour, you can pay a visit to the Paul Brown Stadium, Smale Riverfront Park, and the Fountain Square. This is especially a great place for sunset lovers as it provides beautiful and mind blowing sunset views.

Located in the non-glaciated Allegheny Plateau, the Wayne National Forest is the only national forest in the US. It offers a broad variety of recreational activities with over 300 miles of trails open for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding.

Furthermore, the Wayne National Forest has three canoeable rivers with the first one being the Little Muskingum River located on the Marietta unit. The second one is the Hocking River, situated on the Athens unit, and the last, Symmes Creek is on the Ironton District. All three of these rivers have entrance points on public land and give a peaceful float, ideal for boating with friends and family. Also, the numerous private canoe liveries near the Hocking and Little Muskingum Rivers seasonally offer float trips of varying distances.

Ohio is full of great restaurants serving various types of conventional and continental cuisines. Now, if you really want to enjoy your stay here, you will have to know all of them or at least the major ones. Some of the major restaurants in the city of Columbus are Borgata Pizza Cafe, Happy Greek, King Gyros Greek Restaurant and Mitchell's Ocean Club, among many others.

The famous restaurants of Cincinnati are Adriatico's New York Style, Brezel, Jeff Ruby's Precinct, The Melting Pot, etc. The popular restaurants of Clevender include Stancato's Italian Restaurant, Blue Point Grille, Taza A Lebanese Grill, etc. You will find fast food, continental cuisine, Lebanese cuisine, Turkish food, and the traditional dishes of Ohio here.

Now, it can become extremely difficult for you if you visit Ohio at the wrong time. Meaning, even though the state is welcoming all year round, the summers can become really crowded and muggy because of the many events that take place at that time. The winters, on the other hand, can be quite chilly.

For these reasons, you should visit Ohio in the fall season when you will not be missing out on any event but won't have to face huge crowds either. Be that as it may, you may also travel during the spring season as many fairs and festivals take place during this time, and it isn't filled with people as well.